Monday, July 30, 2012

CCCXLIX - The Black Dog



A brushed image by Zelko Nedic

Magpie Tales had the above image as a prompt.
"The Black Dog" is a common metaphor for depression.


The Black Dog.

Master! Master! Follow me,
I know the path quite well.
I will lead you to the dark side,
To the sooty doors of Hell.

Wretched dog, please leave me!
I don’t want your offered guide.
You lead me to the sulphurous pits
Where nothing good resides.

Master!  Master! Follow me!
It’s an easy path to find.
It’s always sloping downward
And you leave the sun behind.

Wretched dog, please leave me!
There’s no comfort in your words
You lure me to the gloomy place
Where nothing good occurs.

Master!  Master! Follow me!
I’ll lead you from your plight;
To escape from things that ail you
By slinking from the light.

Wretched dog, please leave me!
I beg you, go and do not stay.
While what you have entices me,
I must turn the other way.
..
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© 2012   J Cosmo Newbery
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30 comments:

  1. nice...great back and forth in this...i wonder would the dog lead him astray and why cant he trust it? hmmm....

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  2. The Black Dog is a metaphor for depression.

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  3. Wow! Excellent poem about depression.
    Not something I've ever suffered from but I know it's referred to as 'the black dog'.

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  4. The dreaded Black Dog indeed! But I love 'the sooty doors of hell'.

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  5. I like the back and forth between points of view... enjoyed this!

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  6. Excellent. The light overcomes darkness.

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  7. The rhythm and the rhyme work beautifully as a counterpoint to the emotional angst that lingers over the conversation. A beautiful composition, thank you for sharing,J.

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  8. Yes, the dreaded black dog of depression. So menacing but yet so enticing. You capture it well.

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  9. I like that you used the dog as a metaphor for depression...very enticing, yet we must look the other way ~ Enjoyed this ~

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  10. I've lived a lot of life with that black dog. And I do not trust it!

    Well written, J.C.

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  11. If only it were that easy ....

    xxx

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  12. Resist the black dog- great poem

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  13. You are an awesome poet ... each of your poems are so well conceived ... superb !!!

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  14. RDG: I never said it was easy!

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  15. In fact it is much easier to go where the black dog leads than it is to try and find a way for myself. And the trip with the dog is soooo much faster than the labyrinthian climb to the surface. I loved this, I recognised it and thank you.

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  16. Pestering pest that it is, crawling, lurking around… you best beat it away, I say, be strong, my friend!

    Just to cheer the gloom, here’s an award - http://hannah-denski.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/my-awards.html : )x

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  17. Ahhh depression is a beast that is difficult to control, isn't it.
    Great back and forth conversation and using the dog as the metaphor was very cleverly done. :)

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  18. A fine evocation of depression. I believe Winston Churchill called his fits of depression "The Black Dog"

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  19. And excellent way to deal with depression - turning the other way. :)

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  20. AnonymousJuly 31, 2012

    Wonderfully metaphoric.

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  21. I do believe this is my favourite poem of the week. :)

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  22. I really liked this: the contrast, the lure, of the two perspectives.

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  23. Ummm....no you didn't say it was easy, but there are times we have no choice in the matter. It just is, and we learn to cope .... or not.

    xxx

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  24. TigerbriteJuly 31, 2012

    Truly excellent poem.
    the dark side, sooty doors of Hell. Awesome.

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  25. He may have his way for a while, but in the end he fails in his demonic endeavours! Be gone, Black Dog!

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  26. i like the rhythm you have in this piece..x

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  27. Bravo J. Good that he is fighting that black dog.

    Anna :o]

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  28. I have had that conversation...with a black dog as well.....love the slant and flow of this.....brilliant writing! :-)

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  30. Good/evil ... black/white ... quite the intriguing dialogue!!!

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